Max Verstappen is on a comet trail shooting through the skies of F1, while the rest of us can only watch. With 11 wins this season alone, Verstappen is racing straight to a second title win. Although the team suffered a setback in Singapore, victory seems inevitable.

If Max wins the title at the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix, that will be just a little sweeter because of Red Bull’s partnership with Honda, a Japanese automobile manufacturer.

Honda left F1 towards the end of 2021, after Verstappen won his maiden title. However, they extended their support deal with Red Bull Powertrains.

Max Verstappen has the same effect as F1 legend Ayrton Senna

Dutch racing driver and analyst, Tom Coronel, recently commented on Max Verstappen’s meteoric rise while talking to De Telegraaf, “The name Verstappen is now also equivalent to the word Honda in Japan.” (translated using Google)

According to Coronel, Max Verstappen and Honda ensure that their competition has a big problem. “Max is the best anyway, he is of the outside category, but the Red Bull is now also the fastest car in the field.”

Coronel believes it will be a ‘mega beautiful period’ for the fellow Dutchman. ”Max’s growth curve seems infinite. He keeps getting better.”

Continuing the thread of Verstappen bringing fame to Honda, Coronel then likened the Dutchman to F1 legend Ayrton Senna. In the eighties and nineties, Senna also provided something similar to Honda at McLaren.

“It was through Senna that Honda became globally known at the time. I see the same kind of effect here by Max. He really makes the Japanese proud. His popularity is really insane.”

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Senna is widely considered the greatest F1 driver to have ever existed. It is an incredible compliment for anyone to be compared to him. One can only hope Verstappen continues to race far longer than Senna did.

Winning the title in Japan will be extra special, says Verstappen

Verstappen becoming synonymous with Honda cannot come at a better time as the Honda logo makes a comeback on the Red Bull cars from Suzuka onwards.

Speaking on the occasion, team principal Christian Horner said, “Our combined goal is to continue to deliver dominant engines and achieve the most success possible in the following three years. To mark this, we look forward to welcoming the Honda logo back onto the car from Suzuka onwards.”

Verstappen had similar thoughts, saying: “It’s great to have the full [Honda] name back on the car. HRC was already on the car, so… Honda never really left.”

In addition, Verstappen also mentioned how great it would be to win the title on Honda’s home ground.

He said, “It would make it extra special because of our relationship with Honda. I think it was already a shame that we couldn’t be here last year already, so we are really looking forward to being back.”

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Do you think Verstappen will clinch his second World Championship title in Japan? Or will he have to wait a little longer?